Is my dad getting scammed?
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@tombarrettillo that is crazy! I’m not surprised though. Those companies take on zero risk and they make profit off of authors before they ever do anything for them. What’s the motivation for them to make a sellable end product? Their “royalties” contract is irrelevant because I doubt anything ever gets enough sales to make it to that point.
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@tombarrettillo I saw that Lorem Ipsum (Latin) and was like "nope, don't trust that" hahaha - what a weird example for them to give.
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@Pamela-Fraley I'm sorry your Dad has had to endure this. I feel too sometimes when a company or business presents one thing and does another, whether they are outright deceiving people or they just unprofessional, they are a mess to deal with. Your dad fortunately dodged a bullet, hopefully he'll continue to listen to you and learn how to trust his spidey senses. It's hard to know sometimes! That's why I don't do anything until I have a contract in my hand. And even then, I build in a sketch fee as an "out" should things start to go sideways.
I was approached by an author who has 100+ books published, and wanted me to do her next book. She found a publisher that offered to publish her book, with the contingency of work for hire, in lieu of royalties. What a gross offer OMG. I was disgusted with the idea and confused why something like that can even fly, and she was a reputable author!!
Erin Richardson
instagram.com/erinrichardsondesigns21
www.erinrichardsondesigns.com -
@tombarrettillo Great call Tom! Thank you for the heads up on this. Yeah, it makes total sense to connect the dots and now I feel just a little bit smarter! Doing your own due diligence like a super sleuth is what it takes, to learn what not to do. It's crazy how much of this BS goes on, don't you think???
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Speaking of scammed, someone reached out to me on Instagram, organically through private messaging, just making a kind gesture by saying she liked my work. She then replies with an offer to let me post my work on her platforms for a fee. I looked at the kind of art and books she is allowing on her pages... they are not pro level by any stretch. It feels scammy. What are your thoughts on the below message?
I wanted to reach out because I have some pages dedicated to showcasing incredible books literature, poems and illustrations. I think your content would be a perfect fit for my audience.
I'm the owner of all these platforms.
@Writewithkaite [65k]
@KattyyOfficial [400k]
@Theauthorswarmthh [60k]
@Henrylovesbookss [60k]
@Katherinebowman_ [11k]
@writewithkatty [19k]Would you like to get featured on our pages
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?
Katherine
By uploading posts and tagging stories highlights on all my platforms, featuring could give them the exposure they deserve
The posts gets upto 300k reach and 12-15k visits to your profile. meaning your profile will get the attention of a wide range of Followers who are eager to discover new and captivating stories. Plus, it could help you to gain more dedicated Followers! Gaining a larger audience can be a great support for lifetime
We require 2-3 pictures + a caption for the post
Price is 75$
Let us know if this fits into your marketing budget
️Erin Richardson
instagram.com/erinrichardsondesigns21
www.erinrichardsondesigns.com -
@ArtistErin wow! That’s crazy. I wonder what drives someone to act like that? Maybe the author who contacted you was tired of getting a bad deal from her publisher or something? I don’t want my road to be contingent on taking advantage of anyone!
It’s hard to even know what to do these days. I’m glad there’s less of an ability for the big publishers to gatekeep. But, it’s also frustrating how easy it is now for companies to pose as publishers and take advantage of people who have dreamt of getting a deal their whole life. I think my dad learned a lot from this experience, but how many fall for it? He probably would have if I hadn’t rained on the parade.
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@ArtistErin that feels so scammy!!!
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@Pamela-Fraley Right?? It's a strange time we are in. Snake Oil Salesmen everywhere. That could be a great picture book premise
What character might the creepy slimeball be? I have been turning this one around in my mind... I keep seeing the wolf wearing a trenchcoat!I was doing a time audit and starting to plan 2025,,, thinking I want to surround myself with people who don't agree with me. My sisters are this way, so is my mom! I love checking in with them... they don't have ulterior motives and truly care about my well being. It's nice to have those people around you that have the courage to do what you did for your Dad, looking out for you... I tend to have bright and shiny object syndrome. It's a practice, to listen within and follow my heart. I know your Dad at his age has encountered his share of bumps along the way. I do hope he stays the course! I have to retrain my brain daily, practicing the thoughts that support the kinds of people and deals come my way that are beneficial!
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@Pamela-Fraley Yeah, I replied to her in a short and polite no thanks.
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@StudioHannah I am always surprised how many people don't see that stuff and just walk blindly in to what should be an obvious trap. If something is too good to be true, it usually is.
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@ArtistErin While she may not be "scammy" per se, the promises she is making are way over-inflated. There is no way you will get those numbers per post. (12-15k visits to your profile!!? How would she measure that?) Nothing on any of her profiles has gotten anywhere near that reach.
And the English is just off enough to raise an eyebrow.
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@tombarrettillo Thank you Tom! With my very limited understanding of social media and the algorithms in place, I am very skeptical about future promises. Even big budgets and full marketing teams project but cannot promise. I have had to learn to listen to extreme languaging (always and never) along with broad sweeping magical talk (pay me and I'll tell you the secret hack to success) kind of stuff that is fluff really.
We just got to keep on truckin'
And draw something
